Worth Living
by kayla1193
Summary: "Not everyone gets their happy ending, but it doesn't make life any less worth living." A Tyracentric fic. Tim/Tyra


Tyra Collete knew the exact moment her father had left.

It had started out as any other school day. While sitting in class, however, she felt a sudden shift. One in the universe you might say. She just KNEW something was different, something had changed. She also knew it probably wasn't a good change. When the final bell rang, she knew the minute she saw Mindy's face that her sister had felt the cosmic shift too.

Before the bus even fully pulled up to their driveway, Tyra knew. From the absence of her daddy's red pick-up, she became painfully aware he was gone. Probably for good this time. Mindy knew too. Tyra could tell from the extra tight grasp she had on her hand as they got off the buss. They didn't play around on the front lawn like normal, but rather went directly into the house.

Any doubts the girls had about the departing of their father were quickly corrected. It was the little things they noticed. The absence of their fathers old guitar, his CD collection, his lucky ball cap missing from the door-side hook. But it was Tyra who was absolutely certain when she saw the most important possession her father owned missing. His Panther Championship ring was missing from its home on the mantle above the TV. When their father's hands had become too swollen from work to squeeze the ring on, he had promptly made a new home for it. Momma called it his "Shrine to the Past." In all the times their father had left in a storm of rage( always returning in a day or two), that ring had never once been moved.

Tyra knew, if that ring was gone, so was her daddy.

The minute their momma walked into the room, both girls realized it was now up to them to take care of not only her but themselves also. From the disarray of her outer self to her obvious inner turmoil, they knew she would NOT take this well. For a split second, Tyra cursed the day her father was born. How could he leave two young girls here to clean up after him? But then Tyra relented, because who can really ever hate their parents?

Then one of the strangest things to ever occur to Tyra took place. Their mother straightened her spine and directed both her girls to take a seat on the couch. When they did, she sat directly across from them and spoke:

" Now you listen here to Momma girls. Not everyone gets their happy ending. If they did...well if they did then the world just wouldn't be right now would it? But that doesn't make life ANY less worth living! You understand me?"

Both girls nodded in agreement. Tyra knew their mother must of just had a rare moment of understanding. She then stumbled away and didn't come down from her drunken stupor for 2 years.

* * *

Tyra found herself repeating the exact words of the only pearl of wisdom her mother ever gave her, to one Lyla Garrity on what was supposed to have been Tyra Collete's and Tim Riggin's wedding day.

She had woke in a cold sweat from a nightmare the previous night. It had been ten years down the road, and she was still happily(so she thought) married to Tim. Then he had come home and promptly told her Lyla had finally pulled her head out of her ass and wanted to be with him. And he was leaving.

When Tyra had awoken, she instantly knew what she had to do. On the walk to Tim's hotel room on the floor above, she must have changed her mind 10 different times. When she stood frozen outside his door it was the realization that as much as it would hurt her to leave him, it would probably kill her if he left her later, whick made her finally knock on the door.

He had halfheartedly disagreed, but they both knew it was true. Tyra knew that there was a part of Tim Riggins that loved her. It was the same part that had made him propose her in the first place. It was also the same part that let her go. It didn't make it hurt any less, though.

After she had escaped his room(possibly what was her own personal hell), she had found Lyla's and quickly explained that if she didn't go and be with Tim she was gonna have to(finally) kick her scrawny little ass. It wasn't that Tyra cared what happened to Lyla. In fact, she didn't give a rat's ass what happened to that ho-bag. But she knew the love Tim Riggin's had for her, and _**damn it**_-one of them deserved their happy ending.

When Lyla had agreed(a little too eagerly for Tyra's heart), she had finally gone back to her room and cried her self to sleep.

* * *

The next morning she made the drive home(which her and Tim had shared for the past 3 years) by herself without saying anything to anybody, where she then packed all her stuff and drove away. She didn't yet know where she was going, but she knew she was ready to live again.

**Thanks for reading! Hope it was bearable. I'm thinking about doing a sequel, one focused more on Tyra/Tim. I'm not sure though. What do you guys think? Be sure to let me know when you review! *hint hint***


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